


Rene

by ItsRainingChocolates



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: And little baby Rene, Father Atem, Japanese names, Just Atemu, Just Seth, M/M, Mostly fluff with a little scandalshipping, No Atem, No Seto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:44:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10069754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsRainingChocolates/pseuds/ItsRainingChocolates
Summary: Atemu wakes up to his daughter's fist in his face.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This story is my venture into the ao3 world. All I can say is that a story about Yami holding Yugi's daughter for the first time made me fantasize enough about father Atem to create a story of my own. So here's soft Atem looking after his daughter as a single parent. Also about the use of their Japanese names, I was going to go with the English names. But Atemu suited better than Atem. Also this has minor scandalshipping in it. Except Atemu and Seth aren't cousins in this. They are good friends. So I hope that clears any confusion. Now onto the story folks, I hope you guys like it.

As the first ray of sunlight came piercing through the window, there was a movement in the sheets and a hand shot out to smack him in the face. Knowing what was coming next, he prepared himself mentally. The crying ensued just as he had predicted. He let out a groan knowing he wouldn’t be able to get any amount of sleep as long as this little devil was awake. He pulled the sheet off him and shifted himself so he could look at his daughter. The sunlight highlighted her little reddish black hair and made her lavender eyes shine. Her mouth was drawn into a pout as she tried to make grabby hands at her father. Atemu laughed. She wasn’t even one year old yet -even though she had just turned one today but Atemu refused to acknowledge it- and she was already such an attention seeker. He dreaded her teen years. She would be such a drama _queen_ then, he could already see it.

 

After her mother and his wife had passed away, Atemu was left in charge of his kid. He had tried to give her over to his maids to babysit while he was working but the maids were terrified of her after a week and had hesitantly informed the king that they wouldn’t be able to manage her. Apparently she had pulled out a whole lock of hair from one of them and the other had suffered a nasty burn on the side of her face after being on the receiving end of the little one’s tantrum. How she had gotten burned, she wouldn’t say.

 

After that incident he had tried to take care of his daughter on his own. But after a while he started having difficulty trying to manage both her and his kingly duties together. So he let Priest Seth take control of the work for sometime. Seth was hesitant at first but he believed in his friend. And like he had predicted, Seth was managing his kingdom with the utmost efficiency and skills. Having no other work to do, all his time was spent doting over his little girl. Though she was such a challenge on her own. None of his Pharaoh responsibilities had ever proved to be as difficult as her. She was either always trying to get his attention somehow or was fighting him with her little bunched up fists. There was absolutely no in between for her. She would be angry with him one moment and then begging for his attention the next. He had just gotten used to her mood swings by now.

 

Atemu sighed. With the rate at which his daughter was going, he would be the only one willing to handle her till she was at least 5. His guardians had each tried to tame her but she wouldn’t listen to them either. Siamun had tried to feed her one-day and had ended up getting meal thrown all over his face. Seth wouldn’t even dare to venture near the little girl. He had heard enough to be scared of her. Ishizu wasn’t getting anywhere with her motherly approach, although he could see she faced the least amount of difficulty. Shada was always busy but he would bring back little toys to appease his little princess but once the toy was broken, he wouldn’t be her favorite uncle anymore. The most fortunate was Mahado. He seemed to be the only person who was able to scare her. So she wouldn’t do anything to upset him. Atemu thanked the Gods for that. Mahado didn’t mind looking after her whenever Atemu was having one of his off days. Like when he missed his dear wife. That grief was for him alone. He wouldn’t let his daughter miss her mother like he did. He would see to it that she never felt lonely or unhappy. After all, he should be able to benefit from being a Pharaoh in someway. And since he wasn’t selfish otherwise, he kept that privilege for his daughter.

 

Another cry brought his attention back to his daughter who was now trying to crawl towards him. He stretched his hands and lifted his daughter up. Bringing her near his face, he rubbed his nose with hers. “My,” a kiss, “little darling,” another kiss, “angel. Baba loves you.” In reply, he got a loud giggle. He smiled at the sound of his daughter’s laugh. She really was the cutest thing ever. He placed her on his chest and kissed her forehead. “What would baba do without you? You make baba forget mama.” Another happy giggle escaped his daughter. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the unusual quietness that followed in his daughter’s wake. It was these quiet moments that he treasured the most. If only he could stay like this forever.

 

Apparently he had thought too soon because he felt a wetness on his chest. Finally deciding it was time to get out of bed, he placed her down gently and got down from the bed. Putting on his slippers, he took her into his arms again and walked towards his bath. He laid her on her sink to make arrangements for the bath. First, he slipped out of his tunic and then removed his daughter’s clothing. After discarding the clothes in the corner, he opened the tap water and let the bath fill up as he turned his attention back to his daughter. Picking her up again, he climbed into the bath.

 

“You have gone and wet yourself and your baba and now you have to face the consequences. I know you hate baths in the morning but this isn’t my fault.” He gently chastised her even though he was trying to be as strict as he could possibly be. His daughter giggled. “Oh you think this is funny?” Atemu was smiling now. His daughter’s antics made getting wet worth it. “Alright you asked for it!” He carefully balanced her on one arm and let the other find its way to the soap. Working up lather, he brought his hand back to his daughter and started rinsing her. His daughter let out a war cry and tried to get out of his hands. He put an end to the struggling by placing her on his lap and holding her tightly as he tried to wash himself and her as best as he could.

 

After the bath was over, he put his daughter on the bed and started wiping her off with a towel. That was when the first person decided to show up. Mahado.

 

“My Pharaoh, I am really sorry on disturbing you like this but the birthday planners are here and want to get your last minute advice on a few things.”

“Alright, I will get her dressed and come right downstairs.”

 

_

 

At exactly eight pm, Atemu descended from the stairs with his daughter in hand. He had exchanged his usual clothing for a black tunic and wore a golden cape attached to it. His daughter who was going to be the center of attention was wearing a little whitish golden gown. He hadn’t knowingly matched their outfits but he had let it be after thinking of what his wife would say if she had been here. She would have squealed first, he was sure. And then would have said something along the lines of, “You two look so adorable! Like father, like daughter.”

 

Clapping brought him out of his musing and he turned his attention to the crowd that had gathered to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. Spotting Ishizu almost immediately, he went up to her. Ishizu smiled when she saw her pharaoh heading in her direction. She already knew what was coming. When he came to stand beside her, she stretched out her hand to take his daughter out of his arms.

 

“I already know what you’re going to say, Pharaoh. You do not look ridiculous. I think matching outfits with her was a cute idea. _She_ would have said the same, you know that.”

 

Atemu stiffened a little at that. He knew who Ishizu was referring to. But he still wasn’t prepared for her to directly mention her. So he gave her a tight smile and extended his arms to take his daughter back. “I want to get this over with soon so I can put her to sleep. She woke me up really early today and I am going to start feeling cranky soon. You have all authority to take me away if I get out of line, okay?”

 

When Ishizu nodded, he smiled a real genuine smile and turned back around to head towards the table where the cake was placed. Siamun was standing along with Seth in front of it. He quickly made his way towards the two and gave a quick nudge to Seth. Seth turned around in surprise but relaxed when he saw who was behind him. Atemu gave an encouraging smile and Seth suddenly started panicking again. He knew what was coming next.

 

“Seth, I think it’s about time you became acquaintances with her.” Atemu smiled at his high priest. Seth looked hesitant at first but he just couldn’t say no the face Atemu was making. He took her in his arms with shaky arms and paused. The baby seemed to be doing the same thing too because she stopped fidgeting with her dress and stared at Seth in wonder. A slow moment passed as both of them tried to become familiar with the other. Soon, Seth found tiny arms wandering through his hair and pulling on lightly. Atemu chuckled and the others around them joined in. Seth suddenly turned to look at his king. If the twinkling, mischievous eyes were any clue, he knew he had been set up with blackmail. But who was he to deny his pharaoh this simple pleasure? With that thought in mind, he turned to look at the little bundle of joy in his arms. She was now poking his jewelry with curiosity.

 

“Careful, Atemu. I think she is going to be demanding jewelry as soon as she learns to speak.” Seth teased. But when nobody seemed to laugh at the joke, he looked up from the girl and saw how everybody was staring at him. That was when he realized he had said the pharaoh’s name without thinking. He almost opened his mouth to apologize when Atemu let out a surprised laugh.

 

“Wow, Set. First, you took my girl into your arms willingly and now, you are on first name bases with me? This is too much progress, even for _you._ ”

 

Seth laughed. “Oh c’mon now, _pharaoh._ You know all about progress, I’m sure. You seem to be matching outfits with your little princess today and you are teasing me. And I wouldn’t dare forget your affectionate use of my nickname. Guess we are all making progress along with Rene today.”

 

Mahado who was silently witnessing this exchange almost choked on air. Was it just him or were they flirting? In front of _other_ people no less? This was new. He had never seen the pharaoh and the priest so relaxed before. Atemu had been closed off ever since the death of his wife and Mahado’s apprentice, Mana. And Seth had always been distant from everybody. Maybe this was for the best for both of them.

 

-

 

Two hours later, Atemu laid his daughter down on his bed and made his way over to the balcony where Seth was standing. He looked so ethereal in the moonlight. It illuminated his brown hair and his ocean blue eyes seemed to reflect light right back at the moon. He wondered why he had never noticed Seth like this before. It was like something had changed today. It was like he had learnt to let go of the past and move on from his wife. Maybe that is why he was just noticing Seth’s finer features.

 

“Set?” He called out gently.

 

“Yes?” Seth hummed in response, never turning to look back at him.

 

“Do you feel like something changed between us?” Atemu asked silently.

 

At this, Seth did turn back. He smiled softly before raising a question of his own, “Do you?”

 

“I feel like I just starting letting go of Mana.”

 

“I’m not rushing you, Atemu. I have always loved you. And I can wait a little longer if that’s what you want.”

 

“I don’t- I don’t need more time, Seth. I have had a year to think of her. Now I am finally ready to move forward. I want to share my life with you. I want you to be a part of Rene’s life too.”

 

“She truly is like her mother, isn’t she?”

 

“Seth.”

 

“Right, I’m sorry. Like I said, Atemu, I have always had feelings for you.”

 

“But I need you to answer this for me.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Did you avoid Rene because of her?”

 

“Atemu.”

 

“Please, I need to know if I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with you.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can you say that a little louder? I didn’t hear you.”

 

Seth glared at Atemu. “Yes.” When he was met with silence, he took Atemu’s hand in his. “I wasn’t jealous or anything. It just pained me to see her and know that there was nothing I could do to take the pain away. I was sad because I knew you thought of her whenever you saw Rene.”

 

“It’s okay, Set. I’m not mad at you or anything. But you missed out on the first year of my- _our_ daughter’s life. Do not look at me like that. You are her father too. I expect you to take care of her as much as you would your own daughter. She needs us, Set. She needs another person in her life and while I cannot provide her mother back to her, I know you will love and protect her the same. Please accept us. We need you.”

Seth searched Atemu’s eyes for a moment before he closed the distance between them and let his lips do the talking for him. This was his family now. Atemu and Rene were all he needed, he was sure.

 

-Owari.


End file.
